Water heater



April 7, 1925.

A. J. KERCHER WATER HEATER Filed April 1o, 1925 FIE. I.

47 /Nvfwroz @ff/wf- J. Afef-chef# 5V MMC/PJ@ "51 nrroelvfvgs' ATo all 'whom t 'may concern:

PafenieaAer. 7, 1925.

ART/EUR J. KEBCHEB, LF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

WATER Application filed April 10, 1923. Serial No. 631,067.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. Kanonen,

l a citizen of the United States, and a residentof the city of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have in vented a new and useful Water Heater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for hea-ting water, as by the aid of gas or electricity. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for heating water in which.

' a heat insulated tank is provided, as well as a heating element in good heat conducting relation tothe tank.

It is one of the objects of my invention toprovide a heating tank that is very eiiicient in operation, and in order to accomplish this 2liA result, I provide a heat insulating covering of a novel form for the tank.

In order that the most simple form of heater be produced, so asto reduce the cost of manufacturin it is desirable to utilize a tank for the liquid and supply heat directly to the tank, which is purposely made of very good heat conducting material. It is another object of my invention to utilize such a tank, with provisions for maintaining a circulation of the water within the tank so as to render the heating eiect most eilicient, and to insure uniform heating of the water.

It is another object of my invention to improve and simplify the tank structure and its associated parts. i

My invention' possesses other advanta-v geous features, some of which'withA the foregoing; will be set forth at length in the following description, where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which' I have illustrated in' the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. Although I 'have shown in theD drawings but one embodiment of my invention, I do ,not desire to be limited thereto,A

since the invention` as expressed in the claims may be embodied in other forms also.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure Lis a sectional view along'the .axis of the heater tank, with a part of the tank broken away so as to reduce the yoverall length of the figure, and

VFigure 2 isa fragmentary sectional view along plane 2-2 of 1.

In the present instance I show an upright ,I, cylindrical tank 11, preferably lmade ,of

sheet copper, which holds the water 12 .to be heated. In goed heat conducting relation `with the tank 11 is an electrical heating eleband 14.

The manner 1in which the water is supplied to the tank 11 and withdrawn therefrom as occasion demands, presents various novel features, which I shall now describe. Extending entirely through the tank 11 near the bottom thereof is a bar-like supporting \member 15. This'member serves not only as a support for the tank, but is also provided with apertures 16 and 17 which serve t form a path for the intake and outlet of the tank. These apertures may conveniently be produced by drilling the member 15 from opposite ends. In order to make a leakproofconnection, the ends of bar 15 yare fastened as by brazing to the walls of the tank 11, as indicated at 18.

The inlet pipe 19 connects to aperture 16 as by threading into the end thereof, while the outlet pipe 20 may similarly be connected to the aperture 17. Communicating with the aperture 17 is a pipe 21 that extends nearly to the domed top of tank 11, whereby the liquid is withdrawn from the top of the of a hollow frustrumV of a cone with its larger base toward the top of tank 11, and

supported near its lower end on the member 15. The top end may be made just large enough in diameter to extend substantial y entirely y may be provided with flutes 26, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, 'to form passageways for the liquid between it and the inner wall of tank 11. When heat is applied to the outside of tank 11 by the heating element 13, the liquid in the proximity of this element tends to rise, and in sd doing it passes upwardly through space 24 and over into the space 25, as indicated by the arrows 27. A circulation across theinside of the tank 11, and

as it is heated, to the inner space and displacing the cooler water which is brought y into proximity with the element 13 and has i heated air virtually forms the tank bottom.

its temperature raised so that it too may risel upwardly in the tank 11.

I prefer to employ an automatic control for the heating element, so Vthat upon the attainment of a suieiently high temperature, the heating is stopped. For this purpose a thermostat of any well-known construction may be employed, such as a buckling pressure cell 28, having a diaphragm 29 which is adapted to be buckled outwardly upon the attainment of a suiieiently high vapor pressure in the cell. vIn order to expose the volatilizable liquid in the cell 28 to the influence of the temperature of the water 12 in the tank 11, the cell 28 is enclosed in the metallic casing 30 which A flanged retainer ring. 31 holds the cell rigidly in place against this casing, and furthermore serves to support a stationary contact 32. The cooperating movable contact 33 is carried on a weighted lever 34, which may conveniently be pivoted to the ring 31. The arrangement is such that the lever 34 is normally urged so as to connect the two contacts 33 and thus to complete the circuit for the heating element 13, but upon the outward buckling of diaphragm 29 in response to the attainment of a sufiiciently high temperature in tank 11, the lever 34 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to open the contacts.

One of the important features of my invention resides in the manner in which I insulate the tank against material heat loss by radiation. For this purpose I provide a double walled cover 35 formed of thin sheet metal, between the walls of which there is packed heat insulating material 36. I take especial pains in making the walls tight by appropriate brazing or other means, so that there is no possibility of escape of through the top 37 of this cover 35, There is thus provided a dead space 38 at the top of the tank 11, in which there is no influx or eliiux of air. In case the cover '35 is manufactured by attaching` the top discs 37 and 39 to the cylindrical tubings forming the inner and outer walls of the cover 35, especial care is taken at the corners 40 where they are attached, so as to form a tight union. Similarly, where pipes 19 and 2() extend through the cover 35, bushings 4l are utilized which effectually prevent communication between theinside of the cover 35, formed by the double walls, and the outside. These bushings 41 also serve pipes 19 and 20, which are purposely made to support they cover 35 on the' 'may be placed upon them on this account.

rIhe bottom of the cover35 extends far enou h to house the control elements, and a meta covering plate 42 may be appropriately applied to enclose the entire tank 11 and its control. For making the appropriate connections to the element 13, a busliing 43 passing through the cover 35 may be utilized; but in this instance also, a sleeve 44 between the double walls is used for accommodating this. bushing, so as to maintain the space between the double walls completely isolated.

It may be noted that the inlet nipple 22 is directed against the inner wall of the thermostat casing 30. In ,this way the withdrawal of water from the tank 11, which causes water to iow in through this nipple 22, produces an instant reduction of temperature in the proximity of the pressure cell 28, and the heating element 13 is maintained active thereby. This condition continues `until the temperature even at the bottom of tank 11 reaches the desired maximum. Instant-response of the thermostat to the withdrawal of water from the tank is thus assured.

Although it is possible to sup-port the tank 11 and its cover 35 in a variety of ways, I prefer to utilize for this purpose an element 45 which also serves as a casing for the entire device anbd telescopes over the evident that the heater is in fact supported on pipes 19 and 20 where they pass through apertures 46 and 47. In this way a very` simple mechanical arrangement is obtained. The various supporting parts may readily be made suliciently heavy to take care ot the loads imposed. f

The manner of constructing the heater it is believed is evident from the foregoing description. The insertion of pipes 19 and 20 into member 15 is accomplished of course only after the cover 35 and casing 45 are in place.

I claim:r

1. In a liquid heater, a metallic tank, means for supplying heat to the tank, and means for providing a circulatory path for the' liquid in the tank.

2.'In a liquid heater, a metallic tank,

means for supplying heat to the tank, said 3. In a liquid heater, a .metallic tank, meansv for supplying heat to the tank, and means 'within the tank for forming sub-g stantially vertical spaces communicating with each other, one. of the spaces being partly defined by the inner Wall of the Ltank.

' within the tank forming substantially vertical annular communicating spaces therein.

6. In a liquid heater; a metallic tank,

an electrical heating element forming a band around the tank, and a vtubular member within the tank VYtor-providing substantially vertical inner. and gouter' communicating spaces.

7. In a liq'iiid heater, a metallic tank, an-

electrical heating elementsurround/ing the ta,nka hollow conical member within the tank `for providinginner and outer communicating spaces foi-fthe liquid, and means for controlling the electrical heating element. '1

8. Inv a liquid heater, a "metallic tank, means for supplying heat to the tank, a

" thermostat near the bottom of the tank for controllingithe leating'means, means for circulating the .Water Within the tank, an 'niet for the tank near the bottonithereof,

" and an outlet for the tank.

9. In a liquid heater, va metallicJ tank, means for supplying heat to the tank, a thermostat for controlling the heat-ing 1neansand'an'inlet for the vtank adapted to discharge liquid near to and toward the thermostat.

10. In a 1i uid heater, -a metallic tank, an electrical eating element external to the tank, apressuracell for controlling the element disposedin rgood heat conducting relation to the inside ofthe tank, and an inlet for the liquid adapted to discharge the liquid against the cell.

11. In a liquid heater," a Xmetallic tank, an electrical heating ,element external to the tank and disposed at a substantial distance above the tank bottom, a thermostat near the bottom of the tank, means for pro- `vding a circulating pathl` for the liquidI within the tank, and an inlet for the liquid adapted to discharge the liquid near thethermostat.. y y

12. In. combination, a container "for a liquidand means forming an inlet and an outlet for the container, comprising a member extendin through the container, said member having apertures extending one from each end of the member and communicating with the interior of the container. v

13. In a liquid heater, a tank, and means kforming an outlet and an inlet for the tank, comprising.. a memberextending through the tank near the bottom thereof, said'member having apertures extending one from each end of the member, one of said aperturesI opening near the bottomand adapted to clisl charge the liquidltherein, and a tubular extension from the other aperture extending. near to the top of the tank for withdrawing the liquid at. that point.v 14. In combination, a container, a member extending through Ythe container and forming the inlet and outlet for the container,

and means cooperating Withrsaid member to support the container.

15. In combination, acontainer, Va member extending through the container andyform# ing the inlet'and outlet for vthecontaine'r, connections fastening to the member on each c end, and a 'stand for the connections, where`l by the entire container is supported by the stand. f p

16. In combination, a 'container 'a member extending through the container, connections fastening to the member on each end, and a casing fon the container having apertures through which the connections ex- 05 tend, said casing having a base portion for supporting the entire container. j

17. Incombination, a container,l a bar-like member extending through kthe container, said menrbghavin'g/threaded apertures ex- 100 tending from its ends and communicatingwith the interior oi the container, for formthe inlet and outlet therefor, pipes threaded into the apertures, and a Casing for the container having apertures ior the pipes, f

double Walledv structure and insulating ma-` v y, -j

terial between the walls, the space between the walls being tight against communication i with the external spacewhereby. a dead air space is produced between the cover and the Y tank. 19. In a liquid heater, a-tank, means for heating the tank, a cover for ,thetank telescoping over the tank, f and meansclfor sup. portin the tank andthe cover,'com rising a memer extendin through the/tan near the bottom thereo and passing; through the wallsof the cover, and a stand for supporting the member.

l20. JIn. a liquid heater, a tank, means for heating the tank, an insulating cover telef scopin over the tank,`a member extending thlug the tank near its bottom, forming 4130 liquid heater, atank,'meansfor 1(1 0 the inlet and outlet therefor, a casing telescoping over the`cover, said casing having a base for supporting it, and means passing through the casing and cover and attaching to the member that extends through the tank, said means serving to support the cover and tank by the aid of the casing.

2l. In a liquid heater, a tank, a ribbonlike electrical heating element forming al band around'the tank, a pressure cell thermostat near the bottom of the tank, con- Vtacts operated by the thermostat for oon-- trolling the element, a hollow conical mmber within the tank formingl an annular space and an interior space therein, Whereby circulation of the liquid is effected, a bar extending through the tank near its bottom, said bar having an aperture forming the inlet to the tank 'and extending from one end of the bar to a central point therein, a nipple communicating Withu the aperture and directed toward the thermostausaid bar having another aperture forming the outlet and extending from the other end thereof to a centralepoint therein, a tube extending toward the top of the tank and communicat-- ing with the outlet aperture, pipes threaded into both apertures, a double walled insulating cover telescoping over the tank and having apertures through Whichv the pipes pass7 bushings forming a lining for the apertures in the cover so as to keep the space Within the double Walls tight', said pipes serving to support the cover, and a casing having a base and the cover, said pipes passing through apertures in the casing, said casing serving to support the tank byaid of-these pipes.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. d

Aniiiun J. klanor-inn.

telescoping over' 

